Chapter 8
#008. Expectations on a Date Are Like Cotton Candy
“Sister, where are you going?”
It was a bright Monday. Esella, who was coming down the stairs, saw Olivia and her eyes sparkled. Olivia's face, wearing a deep green dress, looked more excited than usual. She only had that kind of face on Wednesdays when she had an appointment with the Crown Prince. Olivia said casually.
“Just, I have somewhere to go for a while.”
“Just? My lady. The Crown Prince requested a separate date, so she is on her way out.”
Sally said proudly instead of Olivia.
“Oh my! The Crown Prince must like you a lot, sister. I knew it!”
Esella, who ran down the stairs in one go, had confidence in her eyes, and Olivia smiled softly.
“Sister……”
Suddenly, Esella made a moaning sound.
“Yes?”
“Seriously, your smile is so pretty! At this rate, won't the Crown Prince fall for you again today?”
“That's right! My lady's smile is really like a fairy!”
Olivia didn't know how to react to Esella's affectionate words and Sally's praising remarks. A fluffy, sparkling, hot, and sweet feeling kept rising from a corner of her heart. Like, yes. Like cotton candy. It was too sweet. It would be nice if Leopold saw her the same way. Esella, who was quietly looking at Olivia, suddenly sighed.
“Sister.”
“Yes?”
“Sister. Of course, dark colors are pretty, but bright and vibrant colors will suit you really well too. Let's go get dresses made together next time!”
Sally nodded enthusiastically in agreement.
“That's right. My lady. You only like dark colors, but bright and flashy colors will also look good on you.”
Olivia smiled ambiguously and fiddled with her dress. A piece of memory with Leopold that she had written in her diary a long time ago came to mind.
“The Duchess is not the type for bright colors.”
It was what Leopold had said to her on the day of their engagement ceremony at the age of fourteen, when she was wearing a white dress. Olivia, who had returned home, put the white dress away as if sealing it, and never wore a brightly colored dress again.
“Um, then how about this?”
Esella suddenly took off a necklace with a pink jewel. And put it around Olivia's neck. Before Olivia could refuse, Esella pushed Olivia towards the front door.
“See? You look good in bright colors too, sister! Have a good time and tell me all about your date! Okay?”
Before leaving the door, Olivia turned to look at Esella. And after moving her lips for a while, she said.
“……Thank you for lending it to me. I'll have a good time.”
Esella smiled brightly. Esella, who waved her hand until the carriage Olivia was in disappeared, said to her personal maid, Veronica.
“It's a secret that I lent my necklace to my sister. You know?”
If her brothers found out, they would be mean to her sister again. Esella snorted and drew a big picture. Although she was still pushed back by her brothers' interference, if she had a successful Debutante, she would not leave her sister's side. Veronica, who was looking at the brightly smiling young lady, swallowed a groan. A fact that everyone knew, but at the same time, a fact that only the young lady didn't know. And a truth that she should never know in the future.
“Esella must never know.”
The Duke's order that she had heard on the day she became the young lady's personal maid was still ringing in her ears. In fact, even if it wasn't an order, Veronica didn't want the young lady to know about that fact. Such a bright young lady. She could never let her know what had happened because of the sister she believed in and loved so much. * * * The meeting place was a coffee house on Ruheirn Street. Sitting in the guided seat, Olivia looked down at the necklace. The subtly sparkling pink jewel was very pretty. Would something so flashy really suit her? Olivia shook her head at the sudden rush of worry. Esella said it looked good on her, so it would definitely look good in Leopold's eyes too. It was their first date outside the Imperial Palace. Olivia's lips naturally turned up as she thought of Leopold. Leopold said he was looking forward to today too. The contents of the card she had been looking at all night came to mind. She wished every day was just like today. Olivia thought quietly. Playing with Esella like this, dating Leopold. Then, they would all have a harmonious meal together, and her father and brothers would smile at her. Happy thoughts kept spreading. It was so sweet just imagining it, she couldn't imagine how happy it would be in reality. It was then. The door to the drawing room where Olivia was opened wide.
“You're early, young lady.”
Leopold strode in through the open door. Clothes of brilliant gold, resembling his hair, suited him very well. One side of Olivia's chest felt stuffy and full. It was sweeter than she had imagined. It was a day just like cotton candy. Olivia smiled brightly. At that moment, Leopold's lips twisted. . . .
“I greet the little sun of the Empire.”
Olivia Madeleine always looked at Leopold like that. Eyes that always said she loved him. A woman who swallowed her complaints while looking at him with a desperate face every time, as if she wanted something. So, an easy woman. Leopold looked at Olivia with cold eyes. From the engagement ceremony at the young age of eleven, which he had been notified of as if it were a notice, he had not liked Olivia.
“Crown Prince. The Imperial faction pushed the eldest daughter of House Madeleine as the Crown Prince's fiancée. You know that too, right? That green-eyed young lady. How dare they look at the Crown Prince like that.”
His mother, the Empress's words were all correct. People called Olivia a half-Madeleine. If House Madeleine hadn't been the leader of the Imperial faction, if it hadn't been a time when the Imperial faction and the aristocratic faction had to be balanced, the engagement would never have been concluded. He remembered Olivia, who had come to his palace last Wednesday without permission. Not only had she taken the place of his lover, Maria Etel, but she was also taking away the time they spent together. Leopold plopped down in his seat.
“You understand, Your Highness. Please spend time with the Duchess today at least. There is also the relationship with House Madeleine.”
He could still hear the nagging of his aide-de-camp on the way here. If things went according to plan, he would spend time with her and pretend to appease Olivia. But he had already cut off all thoughts of doing so. Leopold grinned.
“You are always diligent.”
“Ah, thank you,”
“I was going to come early today and wait for you and act like a gentleman. You make me late every time.”
There was a deep sense of displeasure in the voice that cut off her words. Olivia, surprised, looked at Leopold. One of his handsome eyebrows was raised crookedly. Her heart dropped. What went wrong? Leopold's face looked good until he came in.
“Th, that wasn't my intention. I just wanted to see Your Highness as soon as possible.”
“Haha. It was a joke. You're so innocent.”
Leopold laughed coolly and nodded. A servant standing by the wall approached and set a hot teapot, teacups, and refreshments on the table. Everything was flowing smoothly, but Olivia was the only one who couldn't keep up with this atmosphere. Was it really…… a joke? Olivia quietly examined Leopold's face. Leopold's brow was softly relaxed. When their eyes met, his eyes, containing blue eyes like the sea, curved gently.
“The scent is quite nice.”
Leopold's brow was softly relaxed. When their eyes met, his eyes, containing blue eyes like the sea, curved gently.
“I think you liked sweets.”
She liked them. Until one day when she was seventeen, when Leopold told her she looked like she had gained weight. But Olivia swallowed that fact and smiled. Leopold's smile quickly quelled her anxiety.
“Thank you.”
Yes. It must have been a joke. Otherwise, there was no reason for Leopold to do that to her. Leopold picked up a cream cookie and put it in his mouth. His expression was soft, as if he liked the crunchy melting sugar cream in his mouth. The only sweet snack that Leopold, who didn't like sweets, looked for when drinking hot tea was a crunchy sugar cream cookie. She was glad she had told them in advance. Olivia drank her tea with a relieved feeling. The tea smelled good today.
“Ah. That's missing. Bertin.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Count Hagis quickly approached Leopold. What was missing? It was the moment Olivia was looking over the table.
“Fig jam. Bring it quickly.”
“……Yes.”
Count Hagis's answer was a beat late. The strange expression that fleetingly crossed the face of such a loyal person was unsettling. Fig jam, Leopold liked fig jam,
“Of all things to be missing, it's the one the Duchess likes.”
Tsk, she suddenly remembered at the sound of his tongue clicking. The news that Marquis Etel had newly purchased an orchard. It was to plant figs, which his precious youngest daughter, Maria Etel, liked so much. So……. It felt like being hit with cold water. Olivia looked at Leopold. Leopold's eyes narrowed slightly. The blue eyes in the gently curved eyes were staring at her coldly. As if he was expecting to see what kind of reaction she would show. She couldn't even tell if the temperature touching the palm of her hand wrapped around the teacup was cold or hot. What was his intention? What kind of reaction did he want her to show? Until now, Leopold wasn't good at keeping promises, but he was kind. He sent flowers, gifts, and cards for not keeping his promises. He made time out of his busy schedule to make today possible. Above all.
“Pretty name. Olivia.”
From the day she first met Leopold on his ninth birthday, he had shown her brilliant salvation, the person she loved. So, all she could say was just this.
“……I liked figs.”
Olivia said dryly, as if talking about someone else. Olivia took her hand off the teacup. The tips of both hands, pulled under the table, pinched each other painfully.
“Didn't you?”
Leopold tilted his head, pretending not to know.
“……I enjoy eating them quite a bit during fig season.”
Leopold chuckled. As if he knew it would be like this. Her eyes were hot. Olivia pricked her hand with her nails more sharply, fearing that Leopold's appearance in front of her would become blurry even a little. She felt like she would show an ugly side if she let her guard down even for a moment. Olivia put strength in her back.
“Olivia.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The voice that came out of my mouth was stiff. That was a relief. A sob would have been the worst thing possible.
“Your cheeks have lost their color. Are you ill?”
The true meaning hidden in his worried tone was clear. My fingertips trembled, but I didn't even realize I was sick.
“You look tired. Let's go in for today.”
In the end, that was Leopold's intention today. Olivia blinked rapidly. Her richly curled eyelashes felt like they would droop damply. A servant placed fig jam on the table. Seeing the jam, she found it ridiculously funny and laughed.
“I see.”
“Huh?”
“...You are kind, Your Highness.”
It was a shame that his kindness didn't extend to me. Olivia smiled faintly. Leopold frowned. Olivia gestured lightly behind her. While everyone, including Count Hagis, bowed their heads, the youngest servant, who had been watching me with curiosity, quickly lowered his head in surprise.
“Thank you for taking the time to see me separately like this. So, you don't have to send flowers today.”
This was my last bit of pride. I didn't want to be comforted by flowers anymore.
“Flowers? Are you saying that hoping I'll send them?”
When Leopold chuckled, Olivia thought once again that something was wrong.
“What kind of flowers do you want from me that you're being so direct, Madeleine?”
Leopold's words sounded slow. The flowers were from Leopold. No, I thought so and never doubted it. The flowers came from the Imperial Palace, and there was even a card with the precious gift. I couldn't control my expression. Fortunately or unfortunately, Leopold, who was getting up from his seat, wasn't paying attention to Olivia. Seeing that Olivia wasn't getting up, Leopold smiled.
“Oh dear. My fiancée is also weak. Take a little rest before you go out. And Olivia, why don't you learn how to wait until you're given flowers if you want them? Like a lady. By the way.”
At that moment, Leopold leaned over Olivia. His slow hand touched the jewel on Olivia's necklace.
“Didn't I tell you? Bright colors really don't suit you.”
My body lost strength at his sweetly decorated voice. Leopold turned away.
In an instant, everyone left like a receding tide. When the door slammed shut, Olivia was the only one left in the drawing room. In this quiet place, Olivia suppressed her miserable feelings and repeated only the facts. The precious gifts that had come so many times, the flowers that filled the room no matter how many times she refused them. Even the Language of flowers that had made my heart flutter and the cards with kind words of comfort. None of them were sent by Leopold. Ha. A murky laugh burst from her lips. It was definitely like cotton candy until this morning. It felt like I was stuck in the mud. I felt empty. No, I felt more than empty, I felt the blood in my body chilling. Because the flowers and cards that I believed were kindness were all lies. Because all this time I had spent for Leopold was being denied. Because Esella's encouragement when she gave me the necklace was being ignored. In the midst of the overwhelming emotions, Olivia steadied her blurring vision. Don't cry like an idiot. Olivia Madelaine. Olivia muttered inwardly. I had to be cold. How dare they. I had to find out who had provoked me like this. After blinking her watery eyes a few times, her clear green eyes shone coldly. Olivia got up from her seat and walked towards the door of the drawing room. While the sound of her heels clicking was constant, Olivia calmed her scattered thoughts. Less than half an hour had passed since the promised time. I had given Sally coins and told her to go play, and I had asked the coachman to come back in a few hours. All that was left was the bodyguard who had hidden his presence. Borrowing a carriage from the coffee house would risk spreading rumors, and waiting for a private carriage would take time. The only way for me to go to the Crown Prince's palace without anyone knowing was... It was when Olivia opened the door and left the drawing room.
“Milady?”
A familiar voice echoed in the hallway.
“What are you doing here?”
It was that man. A man with jet-black hair and red eyes, who was extremely gentle. The man widened his eyes and smiled as if he couldn't believe this encounter. With that harmless smile.
“...You said you would give me a gift?”
The end of Olivia's voice cracked slightly. The man's eyes keenly scanned Olivia. When he discovered the sharp nail marks on the back of Olivia's hand, his red eyes briefly turned cold.
“...Of course, Milady. What can I do for you?”
